Village differences in rural household energy consumption within the Loess hilly region of China

Abstract

Background: There are obvious differences in rural household energy consumption, which vary according to the location of the households. At the village level, geographic factors significantly influence household energy choices and consumption. Therefore, it is vital to research differences in rural energy use among different types of villages to pertinently strengthen the implementation of rural energy policy and to correctly adjust the measures for local conditions. Methods: For this study, typical villages were selected, and the related data were obtained by using questionnaire surveys and household interviews. We investigated the differences among villages regarding rural household energy consumption for mountainous, semi-mountainous, and plains areas in the Loess hilly region of Gansu Province. Results: The results indicate obvious differences in rural household energy consumption among the different types of villages, although they shared the distinctive feature of utilizing a combination of energy sources; however, the level of rural household energy consumption is relatively low. In the mountainous areas, households mainly depend on straw and use coal, animal manure, solar energy, wood, and bio-gas as auxiliary energy sources. In the semi-mountainous areas, households mainly depend on coal and use straw, wood, and solar energy as auxiliary energy sources. In the plains areas, households mainly depend on coal and use grass, straw, solar energy, and wood as auxiliary energy sources. Energy used for cooking and heating, both of which are required for basic survival, accounted for most of the energy consumption. In the hilly, mountainous areas, households relied on kangs (an integrated system for cooking, sleeping, household heating, and ventilation) for heat in the winter. In the semi-mountainous areas, households used both kangs and stoves for heat. In the plains along the river district, households primarily depended on stoves for heat. Conclusions: The characteristics of energy combination provide the evidence that farmers tend to make full use of their own resources to achieve maximum utility. Eco-environmental and economic problems should both be considered and consequently resolved together for optimal rural energy development.